A publication of the Ohio State University Extension Beef Team. Contributors include members of the OSU Beef Team and beef cattle specialists and economists from across the U.S.

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Month: May 2016

– John F. Grimes, OSU Extension Beef Coordinator (This article first appeared in the April, 2016 issue of The Ohio Cattleman magazine)

The first months of 2016 have flown by as we’ve now moved deep into the spring season. A flurry of activity since the first of the year has kept beef producers extremely busy and with Ohio’s calving season nearly over producers are busy with breeding season, hay making and managing grazing of the spring flush.

Through the 2016 winter “meeting season”, I have had discussions with many individuals involved in all levels of the beef industry about Continue reading →

It’s definitely a big year for cressleaf groundsel (Senecio glabellus), that yellow-flowered weed that can be seen about everywhere right now. While it is most often found in no-till corn and soybean fields that have not yet been treated with burndown herbicides, there seems to be an above-average number of wheat and hayfields and pastures with substantial populations. Cressleaf groundsel can be identified by its Continue reading →

Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) or “Pinkeye” is a costly disease for the beef producer. Preventing the disease is difficult because many factors are involved in the development of pinkeye including environment, season of the year, concurrent diseases, the strain of bacteria involved, and the animal’s genetic makeup and immune system. Once pinkeye begins, it is highly contagious and Continue reading →

As producers continue to make both short-term and longer-term decisions in managing their operations it is useful to periodically step back and take stock of characteristics depicting the industry more broadly. The recently updated estimates from USDA ERS of production costs and returns offer an opportunity to increase our understanding of regional variation in the U.S. cow-calf sector.[1]

The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA, NASS) released their monthly Cattle on Feed report Friday afternoon (May 20, 2016). The latest numbers in the Cattle on Feed report were quite surprising, particularly with regard to placements. Placements totaled 1.664 million head, an increase of 7.49% from April 2015 and a 1.50% increase from the five-year average from 2011 to 2015. Market analyst expected placements to be Continue reading →

Last month in this publication Justin Kieffer shared the details of The Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) and the Beef Producer. In that article Dr. Kieffer shared the need for a valid Veterinary-Client-Patient-Relationship in order to comply with the requirements of FDA’s VFD Program which become effective January 1, 2017. Some have asked exactly what’s required in maintaining a valid Veterinary-Client-Patient-Relationship? Here’s the answer as explained by Continue reading →

Getting our first cutting of forages this year seems to be shaping up to be another frustrating experience, although we can only hope it won’t be as bad as last year. The outlook for the end of May does not look very promising for a nice stretch of dry weather. While the recent cool weather has slowed development and growth of our forage crops, in central Ohio forage grasses are entering or already well into the heading stage and alfalfa is beginning to show buds. So it is time to start thinking about that first harvest soon, along with Continue reading →

One should not complain about spring rains, but when it begins to interfere with hay making, the gloves are thrown off and it is go time. This seems to be the case every spring in the Bluegrass state. The spring rains helps the cool-season forages grow, but it impedes our field work. Since we can’t control the weather or the forage from maturing, we have to dig deeper into the toolbox to find some help. Harvesting high moisture forage as baleage may be the tool of choice for some. Several folks have called about Continue reading →

There is new life and activity everywhere; you just have to love spring! Pastures are about as green as they can get this time of year and the grass seems to be growing right before your eyes. Most of our cool season forages are starting the peak portion of their growth curve right now. They can grow so fast during this period that you barely can keep them under control.

This was one of the more frustrating spring markets I remember. After seeing calf prices reach record levels in the spring of 2014 and take those records out in the spring of 2015, a reversion back to 2013 calf price levels was not what most were hoping for. Admittedly, I was expecting stronger prices when I made forecasts last winter. For the most part, I think the same factors that pulled the market down in the second half of 2015, also explain the weakness the spring. While the beef trade picture has improved somewhat, it is not Continue reading →

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